Safety razor



A'prii 1 1924. J1 B. DE MEESQUTTA SAFETY RAZOR Filed Dec. 19, 1922 l ,15in IIIIIIIIIIIIIIID 'l ldatented Apr. l, 1924.

unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS BUENO DE IVJIESQUITA,y F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SAFETY RAZOR CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIAn SAFETY RAZOR.

application filed December 18. 1922. Serial No. 607,492'.

T 0 all whom t may concern: I

Be it known that I, JULrUs BUENO DE Mnsotrrii, a citizen of the United States, and la resident of New York city,- in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Safety Razors, of which the following is a specification.

rlfhe invention relates to improvements inV safety-razors of the class comprising a base or gua-rd plate to detachably receive a safety razor-blade, a hinged cover to close over the said guard plate and blade and a handle connected with the underside of said guard plate, and one object of the invention is to provide a safety-razor frame in which the blade is efficiently held in a novel Ina-nner and to combine therewith a novel guard member serving in part as av seat for the forward portion of the blade, back of its cutting edge, and a novel cover or cap adapted to press the blade against its seat, the whole cooperating to produce a. safetyrazor ot increased efficiency and one which may be very conveniently handled, opened,.

cleaned, closed and otherwise manipulated. A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of safety-razor frame into which the blade may be introduced and from which it may be removed, with the least possible opportunity for injury to the cutting edge of the blade.

.l further purpose of the invention is to provide a novel cover or cap which will efficiently grip and bind the blade against its seat and become securely locked in closed position thereover, and at the same time be -apable of being conveniently opened by an upward the locking member.

further purpose of the invention is to provide a safety-razor of the class referred to which .shall be composed of few durable parts capable of simple manufacture land of being conveniently assembled.

The invention will be fully understood 'from the detailed description hereinafter presented. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a central vertical section through a safetjorazor constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention, the section being on the dot-ted line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

pressure of the thumb againstA 4the same, with the cover shown in partly closed position;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the same, with the cover shown in open position and the handle being omitted, and

Fig. 6 is a section through the same taken on the dotted line 66 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings 10 designates the main base or guard-plate of the safetyrazor frame, 11 the cover or cap hinged at or adjacent to the forward edge thereof and adapted to be turned backwardly thereover to its closed position, 12 a customary handle, 13 the blade whichmay be, .as shown, of usual Everllealdy type and 14 alatchspring fastened within4 the rear portion of the cover and adapted, in connection with a projection 15, to secure the cover in closed position and to release the cover on the application of upward pressure, as by the thumb, against an exposed couver; thumbpiece 16 constituting one terminal member of the said latch-spring.

"if he plate 10 is of rectangularout'line con forming to the general shape of the blade.

13 and is of reasonably thin sheet metal and has two main points of novelty, viz: the provision of two spring lingers 17, one being adjacent to the right hand forward portion of the edge of the plate and the other adjacent to the left hand forward portion of the edge of the plate, and a special forma tion of the guard tines 18 along the front edge portion of the plate.

The spring fingers 17 are slit from the body of the plate, near the side edges thereof and extend from near the front edge of the plate a suitable distance toward the rear thereof, and said lingers 17 are normally inclined forwardly and upwardly from the general upper face of the plate 10. The forward portions of the fingers 17 are curved upwardly from the general line of the upper surface of said fingers, as shown in Fig. 4. and the forward extremities ofy te receive 'the forward corner lees c D M the spring diggers 17 there are narrow intestrip members 2O disposed above 'the general top surface of the plate. When the blade 13 is initially applied tothe plate 10 its forward edge engages Vthe hooks V 19 and the 'rear portion of its back 23 rests upon studs 2lpressed upwardly from the plate 10, as shown in Ll, and at this time the lewer face of the blade is above and free of the top surface et the plate lll., strip members i2() and guard tine-s 13, and also free of the lingers' 17 except at the forward ends thereof, and hence the blade is initially applied te the plat-e with'the least oppor-- trinity for injury to its cuttingedge. The plate 10 is equipped-with the usual side heolts below which the side edges 0f the blade are passed. Theseating of the blade by the clesing of thel sever or capA 1l will 'be explained hereinafter. y

The gnard'tines are parallel with ene zin-ether 'and they are integral with and farmed from 'the plate lO, said tinesbeinp` eennected together at their front ends by a downwardly turned front edge bar portion 2@ of said plate and at their rear ends l the body er the plate. rllic guard tines f Config tration, being of serpentine cutline and curving downwardly from the forward of the nody of the plate baclr the' tines, as at 27, thence upwardly' t nwardly en a convex curve whose apen 2e is en a transverse plane with the strip members 20' and abeve the general top surface of the plate and below the transve plane the upper surface of the s ring fingers 17 when said lingers are in their normal initial condition shown in fi, and thence en a forwardly and downwardly scniewhat shallow curve. as at 29, te the bar The :inertes 23 ef the series 0f guard t i 13 atlord a seatffor the blade 13 haelt of the cutting; edge thereof when said blade is in its i eperativc position shown in '3, but at all cthertimes .the blade is free ef 'the guard as shown in The forward portions 29st 'the tines 13 forwardly beyond the x i icalplane tie books 19 and cutting edL i of the lade l3 and, with the 'bar 23, sensei guard proper.

the nm secured thereto bar 30 having forwardly jeeting side arms 3l whose side for. titles ff the blade 13.4 the outer sides of tute the derside of the pl te l() and enter apertures 33 in the forward ends of the sides 34 of the cover or cap 11 and serve to hinge the cap at its forward portion to the base frame of the dev-ice. At vits ends the bar 30 is conformed, as at 35, to the adjacent bottom surface of the plate 10, and thev side arms 31 on said bar curve downwardly and forwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6, and suit-ably position the pintles 32 to receive the forward side portions of the cover o1' cap 11. The side arms 31" incline downwardly below the spring linge-rs 17 and strip portions 20 of the base-plate 10 and extend forwardly beyond the vert-ical planeY of the forward edge (Fig. 3) of the top portion of the cover or cap 11, and said arms constitute spring members by which the cover or cap is hinged to the base frame of the device and cooperate with the cover or cap in assuring a positive securing and seating of the razor blade, as hereinafter explained, regardless of possible variations in the thicknemes of the blades or irregularities which may unintentionally arise in the manufacture or assembly of the parts of the general frame.

The cover or cap 11 is pressed up from slieet'metal and comprises side portions 34, a rear end portion 36 and a top or hood portion 37. The cover or cap 11 is of suitable dimensions to snugly enclose between its rear end and side portions the base-plate 10 and parts mounted thereon. The forward portion of the cover or cap 11 is open, as shown 'in Figs. 3 and 4, and the top 37 thereof inclines downwardly and forwardly te an edge 38 which, when the blade 13 is in position and the cover or cap closed, will engage said blade and press the same downwardly against the seat 28 formed on the guard tines 13. rllie downward pressure cf the blade 13 by' the edge 38 of the cover or cap 11 results in the spring lingers 17 beingf flexed downwardly from their 'position shown in Fig. Ll to that shown in Fig. 3 and also in Fig. G, so that the blade'may engage the seat 28 provided by the tines 18 and also, at its side edges, engage the strip members 2G -of the plate 10, as indicated in Fig. 6. l/Vlien the blade 13 is first introduced into the frame of the device the cover or cap 11 will bein open position, and at this time the spring fingers 17 will be in the position shown in Fig. fi, and the blade 13 then introduced to the device will take the pesition shown in Fig. e; Thereafter y upon the closing of the cover or cap 11 the eap presses dow wardly against the blade baalt of its cutting edge and the blade and.

spring fingers 17 are forced to take the posil tion shown in 3. vWhen the cap is released to open, the spring fingers 17 react against the blade 13 and forward edge of the cover or cap l1 and start said cover up wardly te its open position.D

The relation of the forward edge 38 of the cover or cap 11 to the pintles 32 on the forward ends of the spring arms 31, is such that when the cover or cap isfturnedto closed position the said edge 38, pressing against the entire length of the blade 13, acts as an efficient fulerum for the long lever represented by the cover or cap and that the cover or cap flexes the forward portions of the arms 31 upwardly, with the result that said arms react against said edge. 38 to firmly bind the same against the blade 13 and assure the rigid seating of the blade in correct operative position, regardless of slight variations in thicknesses of blades and regardless of unintentional irregularities which may arise in the manufacture or assembly of the parts of the base frame of the device. The edge 38 on the cover or cap 11 is of sufficient length to engage the entire length of the blade 13 and hence said edge assures the proper flexing of both arms 31 to the degree required, according to the thickness of the blade and other condit/ions, and the secure binding of the entire length of the blade against its seat. i

The cover or cap 11 must be locked in closed position, and therefore I provide the latch spring 14 having the aforesaid thumbpiece 16, and this latch-spring is in one integral piece of sheet metal and comprises a transverse unyielding portion or member 39 which is riveted lto the inner side of the back portion 36 ofthe cover or cap 11 and has spring extensions L within said cover or cap to engage the back edge of the razor blade lwhen said cover or cap is moved to closed position`I said spring extensions 46 serving to rmly bind the forward corner portions of the blade against the hooks 19 of the spring fingers 17. `From the transverse portion of the spring lffan arm 41 curves downwardly and rearwardly and at the lower end thereof and bya reverse turn of the metal., is formed the iup-standing thunib-piece 16. The armfll constitutes the latch-portion of the spring 141.,` and when the cover or cap 11. is closed downwardly, said arm springs rearwardly and passes over the projection 15 and becomes interloclred with the projection 15, thereby releasably securing the cover or cap 11 in closed position, and the cover or cap at this time holding the blade firmly bound down against the fingers 17. seat`18 and strip members 20. Then it is desired to release the cover or tap 11 so that the same may be opened from the base-plate 10, the thumb is pressed upwardly and inwardly against the thumbpiece 16, and this results in the spring arm l11 being moved upwardly from over the projection 15 and freeing the cover or cap 11 to open. An inward as well as an 'upward pressure against the central portions of the thumb-piece 16 tend to draw the lower end of the arm 41 outwardly from the projection 15 as well as to push the arm Lvl1 and cover or cap upwardly. The-one spring men'iber 1l thus provides not only for the latehing of the cover or cap 11 in closed position but also atl`o1.'ds the spring members for engaging the back edgel of the razor blade near the end portions thereof. The projection 15 is of special formation in that it presents a pronounced solid protuberance extending rearwardly and that from the apex of this protuberance the projection has an upper surface which inclines upwardly and forwardly, and the projection thus formed'has a special cooperative action with the spring member e1., being held flexed rearwardly by the apex of the projection 15 when the cover or cap 11 is in closed position` and said member on leaving said apex, as when it is desired to have the cover 11 open., acting strongly against and sliding upwardly upon said upper surface of the projection 15, with the result that the spring in regaining its unfieXed state directs its resilient force against said upper surface along a sliding line which of itself tends to throw the cover to its open position. The spring member 11 thus not only cooperates with the apex of the pro-jection 15 in firmly latching the cover 11Y in closed position but when pushed up from said apex, acts against the upwardly and forwardly inclined surface of said projection to automatically throw the cover 11 to open position.

The projection 15 is formed on a casting 112 which by means of a plate 413 thereon is riveted to the underside of the base-plate 10 at the rear of the bar 30, which is also rive-ted to said base-plate. The casting 42 constitutes a socket member and is internally threaded to receive a threadedstem on the upper end of the handle 12 in a usual manner.

I have described in detail the construction and operation of a preferred embodiment of my inventiom but l do not confine the invention to all the details of form and construction described since I am aware that the same may be modified without departure from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

`What lfclaim as mv invention and desire to secure by Letters Patr-mt7 is-- 1. A- safety-razor comprising a bascframe having a forward edge guard and adapted to receive a blade, a hinged cap adapted to be closed over said frame and blade, means for securing the cap in closed position'and a handle, said base-frame having near its side edges forwardly extending blade-receiving spring lingers i carrying hooks on their forward ends and normally adapted to support the cutting edge of the blade above the adjacent surfaces of said said member L Sti erk

frame, the end portions of said cutting edge resting on said fingers and being caught by said hooks, and the forward portion of said cap being adapted on the closing of the cap `to press aga-inst the blade and therethrough flex said spring fingers downwardly and scat the blade against said adjacent surfaces.

2. A safety-razor comprising a baseframe having a forward edge guard and adapted to receive a blade, a hinged cap adapted to be closed over said frame and blade, means for securing: the cap in closed position and a handle, said base-frame near its side edges being slit to form forward outer side strip members and adjacent thereto forwardly extending blade-receiving spring fingers carrying hooks on their forward ends and normally adapted to support the cutting edge of the blade above said strip members and above the surfaces of the frame between said fingers, the end portions of said cutting edge resting on said fingers and being caught by said hooks, andthe forward portion of the cap being adapted o n the closing of the cap to p-ress against the blade and therethrough flex said spring fingers downwardly said strip members and, backwardly from its cutting edge, against portions of said frame between said fingers.

3. A safety-razor comprising albase plate adapted to receivea blade, a hinged cap adapted to be closed over said plate and blade, means for .securing said capin closed position and a handle, said base-plate at its forward portion being longitudinally slotted to form tines whose forward ends curve downwardly and are integral with a guard bar constituting a'portion of the plate and whose rear portions are integral with the body of the plate and have upwardly convexed portions affording a seat forthe blade back from the cutting edge thereof, and said plate having near its side edges forwardly extending bladereceiving spring fingers carrying hooks on their forward ends and normally adapted to support the cutting edge of the blade above the adjacent surfaces of said plate and the blade back of its cutting edge above said seat, the end portions of said cutting edge resting on said fingers and being caught by said hooks, and said cap on the closing thereof being adapted to press against the blade and therethrough flex said springfingers downwardly and bind the bla-de against said seat.

4. A safety-razor comprising a baseplatc adapted4 to receive a balde, a

hinged cap adapted to be closed over said plate and blade, means for securing said cap in closed position and a handle` said base-plate at its forward portion being longitudinally slotted to form tines whose backwardly from its and seat the blade onv edge thereof, and said base-plate near its side edges being slit to form forward outer side strip mem-bers and adjacent thereto forwardly extending blade-receiving spring fingers carrying hooks on their forward ends and normally adapted to support the cutting edge of the blade above said strip members and the blade back of its cutting edge above said seat, the end portions of said cutting edge resting on said fingersand being caught by said hooks, and the cap on the closing thereof being adapted to press against the blade and therethrough Hex said spring fingersdownwardly and bind the blade against said stripmembers and, cutting edge, upon said seat.

5. A safety-razor comprising a base-plate adapted to receive a blade, a hinged cap adapted to be closed over said plate and blade, a spring latch for releasably securing said cap in closed position, and a handle, said plate having near its side edges forwardly extending blade-receiving spring fingers normally adapted to support the cut ting edgey of the blade above the adjacent surfaces of said late, the cap on the closing thereof being adapted to p-ress against the blade and therethrough flex said springfingers downwardly and bind the blade against its seat, and said spring -fingers on y the release of said latch being adapted to lift said cutting edge above said adjacent surfaces and react against the cap.

6. A safety-razor comprising a base-plate adapted to receive a blade, a cap hinged at the forward portion of said plate and adapted to be closed rearwardly over said plate and blade, means for releasably securing said cap in closed position and a handle, the means Vfor securing saidv cap in closed position comprising a rigid projection connected with the lower side of said plate and having a 'rearwardly projecting protuberance and an upper surface which inclines upwardly'and forwardly from the rear apex of said protuberance and a leaf spring secured to the rear portion of said cap and thence curving rearwardly and downwardly to engage and become flexed against the apex of said protuberance when the cap is pressed to its closed position and to strongly engage and ride upwardly upon said upper surface of the projection when the spring is moved upwardly from said apex on the opening of said cap, said spring then acting to automatically throw the cap to open position.

A safety-razor comprising a base-plate adapted to receive a blade, a cap hinged at the blade back of its cutting edge and which the foi-ward portion of said plate and seat is elevated above the general top suradapted to be closed rearwardly o-ver said face of said plate, said spring-fingers beplate and blade, means for releasably securing normally adapted to support the cutting ing said cap in closed position and a handle, edge of t-lie blade above the adjacent sur'- TU the means for securing said cap in closed faces of the plate and theblade, back of its position comprising a. casting rigidly secutting edge, above said seat, the cap on cured to said plate and having a socket the closing thereof being adapted topress to receive said handle and an integral proagainst the blade and therethrough `flex said jection having a rearwardly projecting prolspring-fiiigers downwardly and bind the tuberance and an upper surface which inblade against said seat, and said fingers on clines upwardly and forwardly from the the release ofthe cap beingadapted to lift rearapex of said protuberaiice and a leaf the cutting edge of the blade `and`elevate spring secured to the rear portion of said the blade from said seat. cap and thence curving rearwardly and 10. A safety-razor comprising a base-"S0 downwardly to engage and become fiexed plate adapted lto receive a blade andhav.- Y against the apex of said'protuberance when ing forward guard-tines, a hinged vcap t'o the cap is pressed to its closed position and be closed over said plate and blade' and a' to strongly engage and ride upwardly upon latch for releasably securing said cap i'ri`v said upper surface of the projection when closed position, said plate having' near 'its S5 the spring is moved upwardly from said side edges forwardly extending"blade-re-l apex on the opening of said cap, said spring ceiving spring-lingers and between said iin-` then acting to automatically throw the cap gers a seat for the blade baclr of its cutting" to open position, said spring having at its edge and which seat is elevated above the lower end a rearwardly and upwardly bent general top surface of said plate and formed J0 member to facilitate the pressing of the of upwardly convexed portions of said," spring upwardly from said projection 'by guard-tines, said spring-lingers being'n'o'r i means of the thumb. y mally adapted to supportv the cutting edge. 8. A safety-razor comprising a base-plate of the blade above the adjacent surfaces of adapted to receive aA blade, a cap hinged the plate and the blade, back of itscutting/U at the forward portion of said plate and edge, above said seat, the cap onfthe closing adapted to be closed rearwardly over said thereof being adapted to press against the plate and blade, a spring-member secured blade and therethrough flex said s ring-finwithin the rear portion of said cap and havgers downwardly and bind the bla e against ing laterally extending arms to press said seat, and said fingers on the release of 100 against the back edge of the blade, means the cap being adapted to lift the cutting for releasably securing said cap in closed edge of the blade and elevate the blade from position and a handle, the means for sesaid seat. curing said cap 'in closed position compris- 11. A safety-razor comprising a base- 40 ing a rigid projection connected with the plate adapted to receive a bla-de and hav- 105 lower side of said plate and having a rearing a forward guard and a blade-seat in wardly projecting protuberance and an rear thereof and carrying spring-.arms which upper surface which inclines upwardly and extend downwardly and forwardly below forwardly from the rear apex of said prosaid guard, a cap hinged to said springtuberance and a leaf-spring extending from arms and adapted to be closed rearwardly 110 within the rear portion of said cap and beover said plate and blade and having a ing integral with said spring-member thereforward edge to engage said blade when the in and curving rearwardly and downwardly cap is being turned to closed position and to engage .and become flexed against the press said blade against its seat and at the apex Of Said pIOtubel'anQe When 'Clie Cap 1S Same time Hex the, forward ends 0f said pressed to its .closed position and to -strongly spring-arms upwardly, and a latch for reengage and ride upwardly upon Said upper leasably securing said cap in closed position. surface of the projection when-the spring 12, A safety-razor comprising a base- 15 moved upwardly from said apex on the plate adapted to receive a blade and havopening ofsaid cap, said spring then acting `ing a forward guard and a bladeren in 120 to automatically throw the cap to open posiremthereof and Carrying spring-arms tion. I which extend downwardly and forwardly 9. A safety-razor comprising a base-plate lbelow said guard, a cap Ahinged to said adapted to receive a blade and having forspring-arms adapted to be closed rearwardo0 ward guard-tines, a .hinged cap to be closed ly over said plate and blade and having a 125 y over* said plate and blade anda latch foi` forward edge to engage said blade when the releasably securing said cap in closed pocap is being turnedto closed position and sition, said plate having near its side edges press said blade against its seat and at the' forwardly extending blade-receiving springsame time iiex the forward ends of said o5 fingers and between said fingers a seat for spring-arms upwardly,v and a latch for re- 180 leasably securing said cap in closed position, said forward edge of the cap being of suliicient length to engage the entire length of the blade.

13. A safety-razor vcomprising a basei plate adapted to lreceive a blade andv having forward guard-times and carrying springarms which extend downwardly and forwardly i, below said tines, a cap lhinged to said spring-arms and to be closed rearward- 4ly oversaid plate and bladefand' a latch for-releasably securing v`said cap in closed position, said plate having `near its side edges forwardly extending blade-receivlng spring-fingers fand -between sald lingers a seat `for the blade back of its cutting edge :andiwh-ichseat is elevatedabove the general'top surface of saidplatc. ksaid spring fingers Y being normally `.adapted .to f support the cutting edge of the blade above the adjacent surfaces of theplate and the blade, back 'of its cutting edge, above said seat,

yand the cap having arforward edge and adapted-on `its closing movement -to press said edge against the blade and therethrough `flex said spring. fingers downwardly andbind theblade against said seat and .at the same time Hex the forward ends of said spring-'arms upwardly.

l14. A safety-'razor comprislng a baseplate adapted to receive a blade and having forward guardstines and carrying spring-ar1ns which extend downwardly and forwardly below said tines, to said spring-arms and to be closed rearwardly over said plate and blade and a latch for releasably securing said cap in closed position, said plate having near its side edges forwardly extending blade-receiving spring-fingers and between said lingers a seat for the blade back vof its cutting edge and which seat is elevated above the general top surface of said plate and formed of upwardly convexed portions of said guard-tines, said spring fingers being normally adapted to support the cutting edge of the blade abovethe adjacent surfaces of the plate and the blade, back of its cutting edge, abovesaid seat, and the cap having a forward edge 1and adapted on its closing movement to press said edge against the blade and fingers downwardly against said seat and the forward ends of wardly. n

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, this 14th day of December, A. D. 1922.

J ULIUS BUENO DE MESQUITA.

at the same time flex said spring-arms upa cap hinged-4 therethrough fiex said `springand bind the bladel 

